LAHORE, July 14: Wapda has extended its incentives' package for industry up to Dec 31. According to a Wapda press release, factories having seasonal connections and those falling in the category of seasonal industry like ice factories
, ginning factories, oil mills and rice shellers will not be covered by the incentives' package.
The industrial units disconnected for six months or more could pay 25 per cent of their arrears as down payment, whereupon their connection will be restored subject to provisions of the Reconnection Policy of Oct 11, 1999.
The remaining arrears would be payable in monthly instalments. The chief executives of distribution companies are empowered to decide the number of instalments irrespective of the number of months to which the arrears pertain, but the number of instalments shall not exceed 12 in number.
The minimum/fixed charges recoverable under Clause-2 of the reconnection policy dated Oct 11, 1999, are not to be paid by those consumers who come forward for reconnection and pay 25 per cent of the arrears as down payment before Dec 31, 2004.
Those consumers against whom there are no arrears will also be exempted from these charges. The disconnected industrial consumers, applying for reconnection within five years of disconnection, will be given relief for the cost they have already paid through depreciation of equipment.
The depreciation value would be calculated on the basis of 20 years' useful life of equipment. Such consumers have also been allowed to pay 50 per cent of the additional security deposit as down payment before reconnection and the remaining 50 per cent in three to four instalments payable up to Dec 31, 2004 provided their sanctioned load remains unchanged.
However, this relief will not be applicable to factories such as arc furnaces where electricity is used as indigenous raw material. The mark-up would be levied on instalments as per prevalent bank rates.
The defaulting consumers not interested in reconnection have also been allowed to clear their outstanding arrears in instalments, not exceeding 12 in number. If any industrial unit defaults on payment of the current monthly bill or instalment, that unit will be disconnected without issuing any notice to this effect, and it will not be entitled to re-avail this package thereafter.
An undertaking subject to the above conditions will be obtained before restoration of a connection. A 10 per cent rebate will also be given on a minimum of 25 per cent increase in energy units (KWH) consumption in a billing month.
The average consumption will be calculated by taking into account the corresponding, preceding and succeeding months of the previous year. The rebate will be admissible only on variable charges based on the increased consumption and is not to be given on fixed charges such as hydel surcharge, electricity duty, income tax and GST.
An incentive of seven per cent per annum will also be available to consumers who make advance payment equivalent to their average bill for a period of three months, adjustable against future monthly bills.
The load-sanctioning authority of an industrial connection will be the competent authority to allow the above incentives' package. However, the concerned DisCo chief executive officer will be the final authority in all cases.
In case of any dispute, the matter shall be referred to the authority next to the load-sanctioning authority before approaching any other forum. The general manager for customer services will be the final competent authority for resolving disputes, which will have to be decided within a month.
